


Catch A Falling Star

by hunnyfresh



Category: 1 Million Happy Nows, A Million Happy Nows
Genre: Alzheimer's Disease, F/F, Friends to Lovers, Love at First Sight, Soap Opera
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-26
Updated: 2018-02-03
Packaged: 2019-03-09 13:25:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 16,920
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13482399
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hunnyfresh/pseuds/hunnyfresh
Summary: Lainey Allen (a former Soap Opera actress) retreats to an ocean side beach house after 20 years on The Valley. This story explores her relationship with Eva Morales, her publicist, and how they learn to cope and handle Lainey's diagnosis of Alzheimer's. This story is woven together within three timelines (2006, 2016, and 2017).





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I found the Otalia fandom recently, and I wanted to share with my followers how great this on-screen pairing is. They're so good that the 2 actresses have been canonically paired 4 times: from a soap opera, a web series, a short movie, to an indie film. 1 Million Happy Nows was just released this week, and my wife and her good friend who love Otalia, loved this movie. While it's been several years since I've posted, I wanted share this story and the fandom with you all - it is literally everything you wanted with SQ. I definitely recommend you watch 1 Million Happy Nows, Venice The Series, The Grove, and definitely watch Guiding Light (search for: Otalia 2008 and Otalia 2009 - on YouTube). There's over 100 episodes of character building - and it all starts with two women who hate each other. Tell me that's not every SQ fic you've read!
> 
> DISCLAIMER: I own nothing.

 

* * *

**Meadowlark Assisted Living 2017**

Eva had been dreading this day since she found out about Lainey's early onset Alzheimer's. Through some naivety she thought that maybe, just maybe, medicine would advance in a year's time and Lainey's mind wouldn't disappear before their very eyes. But it did. And they were here. Meadowlark Assisted Living. They had already gotten a tour of the facilities when they were scoping out future homes for Lainey, but as she heaved boxes into the room and took a look around, it was finally real and the day she'd been dreading had finally caught up to them, and the nightmare she hoped and prayed she'd wake up from was suddenly her reality.

Lainey sat on the bed, hands patted down on the mattress as if testing its softness. She looked around the room with wide eyes before locking them with Eva's. The brunette swallowed back the lump in her throat and put on her bravest smile. She crossed the room to Lainey and crouched down in front of her.

"How do you like it?"

Lainey nodded with a hesitant smile.

"Do you want to help me unpack? You can choose where everything goes so you know where to find it."

"Okay," Lainey whispered. Along with Lainey's mind, her language had been going too, so on the the rare occurrence Eva could hear her voice, she grasped on to it.

Squeezing Lainey's hands, she brought them up to her lips for a kiss. "Let's go."

They unpacked in relative silence, though Eva couldn't help but check in on Lainey nearly every minute. Her clothes were unpacked, placed in the dresser and closet. Decorations were placed around the room.

She had just broken down a box when she caught Lainey staring at her Emmy.

"Remember that?" Eva asked.

"It's good," Lainey offered. "Mine."

"Yeah," she grinned. "You won it."

Lainey's attention turned to Eva. The way her green eyes softened, Eva swore she saw the spark of life that was so Lainey returned to her. Lainey smiled to herself and nodded, placing the award on the dresser.

The unpacking took less time than she anticipated. She sliced open the final box and was met with frames and pictures of themselves and their friends. There was Val, her arms wrapped around Lainey as they were both keeling over in laughter, and there was even one of the cast from _The Valley_ on Lainey's last day. But the majority of the pictures were of herself and Lainey. Eva had stuffed the box with nearly every picture she could as if the shear image of her face would make Lainey remember, Slowly, as if the frames were made of the finest China, she pulled them from the box and removed the bubble wrap. Eva wanted to make this moment last as long as she could; the mere thought of returning to their empty beach house sent her stomach plummeting. Her eyes watered. What if something happened to Lainey, and she wasn't there? Or what if Lainey was having a good day and remembered, and Eva missed it?

A familiar hand squeezed her shoulder. She turned to see Lainey looking over her shoulder at the near empty box.

"That's us."

Eva turned to look where Lainey was pointing. She didn't know how Lainey could tell what picture it was through the bubble wrap, but she could see the green and red of their dresses when they posed on the red carpet. Eva grinned, her heart fluttering at Lainey's recollection.

"Yeah, baby." She reached into the box and revealed the picture. "It's us."

Lainey didn't say much. She rarely did anymore. Eva took these moments to read into her body language, and the next thing Lainey did made her heart hopeful. Lainey took the silver frame and stared curiously at the photograph. Without saying another word, she walked over to her bedside table and placed the picture down on top of it.

* * *

**The Beach House 2016**

"I absolutely love this photo!" Lainey beamed, picking up the framed photograph of them at the Emmys. She frowned and gently stroked the glass carefully. "The glass is cracked."

Eva popped her head in from the kitchen, and walked over to be at Lainey's side, her head resting on her shoulder. "Didn't I tell you to be careful with that box?"

Their move had come right after Lainey left her job. After 20 years on _The Valley_ , she'd called it quits and moved up the coast with Eva to escape. It had taken Eva a while to convince Lainey to make the move, and she hoped it would be good for them. Lord knew Lainey needed the break from stress.

"I was!" Lainey argued, poking Eva in the side and earning herself a giggle.

Eva struggled against Lainey's grasp and shook her head. "I heard it drop when you were loading it into the van!"

"Here." Lainey rifled through the box and picked out a silver frame with her headshot in it. "We can use this one."

"That's my favourite picture of you," Eva argued with her hands on her hips.

"But this is my favourite picture of us." She removed the picture from the broken frame and replaced it in the new one. She held it up and pointed to Eva's dimpled grin. "Can you believe I get to call that woman mine?"

Eva took the picture and inspected it before she playfully rolled her eyes. "Ugh, I wish I still had that waistline."

"Stop!" Lainey plucked the frame from her grasp and placed it in the center of the mantle. She returned to Eva and slid her arms around her waist, letting her forehead rest against hers.

Eva breathed her in and settled comfortably in the embrace. She shivered when Lainey's lips ventured to her ear, and the hairs on the back of her neck stood when Lainey whispered. "Don't be crazy," Lainey said. "You're beautiful."

"Oh yeah?"

"Mmhmm." Her lips travelled down Eva's neck. "And so sexy."

Eva sighed into her touch. "Are you trying to distract me to get out of unpacking?"

"Absolutely."

Eva giggled into her neck, but didn't stop Lainey and her typical antics.

"Is it working?"

"Most definitely." Eva pulled Lainey in for a kiss. Their packing left forgotten in favor of the couch below them.

* * *

**The After Party 2006**

"You are _not_ taking on Lainey Allen. She is an absolute diva."

Eva sipped her champagne daintily as she scanned the crowd for familiar faces. The party was a huge networking event for most, but Eva was only attending for one reason: Lainey Allen.

She ignored the man's chatter as he bashed her latest client. He was a good friend, though a bit of a gossip, and he sure made these events lively. Truth be told, she had already heard about Lainey's latest diva tantrum; hence, the soap star looking for a new publicist. Despite the overbearing and overwhelming personality Lainey gave off from a mile away, Eva wanted to sink her teeth into the chance to handle the celebrity. First thing tomorrow, she'd officially be Lainey's publicist.

"Of course she's a diva," she argued. "She's the highest paid most successful female soap actress."

"She'll eat you alive, darling."

Eva's eyes finally stopped scanning as she found her subject. There Lainey was, her dress nearly painted on her body and her hair styled elegantly in curls. Lainey Allen wasn't the type to hang off of anyone's arm, so it wasn't a surprise that her longtime on- and off-screen boyfriend, Jason, was standing beside her. From across the room, Eva could see the laugh lines crease on the woman's face. That alone seemed to lighten up the room. No wonder America was so in love with her. She was gorgeous.

She finished off her champagne and turned back towards her friend who continued to gossip in her ear. She didn't realize that Lainey herself had been watching her just as intently later on that night.

* * *

**On Set of** _**The Valley** _ **2006**

Eva was used to dealing with big celebrities with even bigger personalities. Many people never took her seriously. Her short stature and baby face made her look like a sweet kitty. Come negotiation time, Eva was all teeth and claws. She'd handled all levels of stardom before from the up and comers to the burn outs to the A-listers. Walking towards Lainey's dressing room on the set of _The Valley_ , Eva never felt more nervous. It was just Lainey. Just like any other person she worked with. She wasn't sure if she was more nervous about Lainey's reputation or the woman herself. Straightening out her blazer with a leather portfolio in her arm and her cell phone nestled on top of it, she knocked on the door with Lainey Allen emblazoned in the center of a star.

"What is it?"

Eva took that as her cue to enter. She pushed open the door and with a firm smile already on her face. "Hi, Lainey, I'm Eva."

She held out a hand, but Lainey was slow to take it. Instead, she just stared at Eva with squinted eyes before she slowly shook her hand. _She's just a personality,_ Eva reminded herself. _She's trying to be the alpha._

Giving her hand a firm squeeze, Eva walked around the dressing room and opened her portfolio. "I already took the liberty of setting up some interviews for the next few weeks. Associated Press wants to talk to you, and there's a photoshoot for Soap Opera Digest."

She was about to continue when she realized that Lainey hadn't said a word or barely acknowledged her. She might as well have been talking to an empty room.

"How does that sound to you?" The glazed look on Lainey's face said it all. The diva wasn't listening. She may have been staring at her, but her words were in one ear and out the other. Eva frowned. "Lainey!"

Lainey shook her head. "I'm sorry, what?"

"Did you hear anything I said?"

"I did, yes. I just一" the actress turned away from her and laughed to herself. "I'm sorry. You're just so一"

"So what?" Eva questioned. Fiery. Detail-oriented. Stubborn, she had gotten a time or two.

" _Beautiful._ "

Eva stopped.

"You are _so_ beautiful," Lainey repeated.

It was Eva's turn to laugh to herself, her hair falling over her face that she had to tuck back a strand. She blushed, but she couldn't contain the dimpled grin that formed on her face. She was not expecting that.

"Wow," Lainey breathed out, a finger to her lips in thought.

"What now?"

"I didn't think you could get more beautiful, but you just did."

* * *

**More to come!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Meadowlark Assisted Living 2017**

"How's she been?"

Eva took a deep breath as she signed herself into the visitor's booklet. She slid the pen and booklet over to Val and waited for her to do the same. Val’s friendship with Lainey spanned over twenty years. With Val the director to many of Lainey’s roles, most recently being _The Valley_ , they had seen each other flourish both in their careers and their personal life. There was a time when Lainey joked that she could never just work with someone if she truly loved them, what with Val being her best friend and Eva turning from her publicist to her lover.

Eva sighed. Those days were in the past, but she hoped they weren’t gone forever. “Okay, I guess. As good as she gets."

"You don't sound so sure." Val slid the book back to the receptionist and clipped her visitor's badge onto her breast pocket.

"I'm not," she admitted as she lead the way through the hallways towards Lainey's room. A nurse met with them before they continued on their way. "She has good days and bad days. Sometimes I can spend nearly the whole day with her, and others, I'm barely here for ten minutes before the excitement is too much for her."

"Hey," Val said squeezing her shoulder. "I know it's hard, but deep down inside, Lainey loves you with every fibre of her being."

Eva nodded as they approached a door. "I know."

The nurse knocked and waited. Some days it took a while for Lainey to acknowledge there was anyone at the door, but more often than not, the nurse would lead her in and she'd find Lainey painting, napping on her bed, and even sitting in her chair looking fondly out the window.

Today, Lainey was in that chair. Her skin was more pale and she looked thin. She barely turned when all three of them entered the room. The nurse left them alone, and Eva walked to the corner and crouched in front of Lainey.

"Hi, baby." She squeezed Lainey's knees hopefully. Lainey's glassy eyes stared through her. Eva had been here enough to learn Lainey's body language. She was quiet and more reserved than normal, and her foggy eyes signaled a fright of confusion. Eva turned her head to Val and frowned. "I don't know how long we can stay."

"Hi."

Eva whipped her head at Lainey's voice and grinned. "Hi, baby!"

But Lainey wasn't looking at Eva. She was staring at Val, and the glassy haze over her eyes twinkled with a hint of recollection.

Val shuffled from foot to foot before shooting an apologetic glance to Eva. She discarded her purse on the dresser and kneeled next to Eva. "Hi, Lainey. You feeling okay today?"

"Okay," Lainey repeated.

"That's good!" Val grinned. "Do you remember who I am?"

Lainey scrunched up her face as she struggled to find the word. "F-friend."

"Yeah," Val cheered. "We are friends." She motioned her head to Eva. "What about this beauty here? Do you know who she is?"

Eva held her breath.

Lainey's sharp green eyes zeroed in on Eva. She waited for her to say of course, that she was kidding. How could she forget Eva? But no answer came out of Lainey's mouth, and she turned back to Val and repeated, "friend."

Val nodded and gently patted Lainey's knee.

* * *

  **The Beach House 2016**

“Do you think that people still think that we’re friends?” Eva asked as they laid in the hammock in the backyard. They were sprawled opposite each other with Eva massaging Lainey’s calf.

Lainey picked her head up and raised her eyebrow. “Are we not friends?”

Eva laughed. “I mean they don’t realize that we’re together, you know? Like a single unit.”

“Ohh. You mean how much you like- _like_ me.”

She playfully smacked Lainey’s leg. “Even at the diner the other day, I think the waitress was looking at us like we’re best friends.”

Lainey sat up completely now. “Seriously? Did she not see the way that I look at you?”

“I know! You were never subtle about liking me,” Eva answered with a smug shrug of her shoulder.

“Uh, _you_ were about as subtle as a rock.” She playfully poked at Eva’s side with her toe, finding her ticklish spot.

“Stop!” Eva laughed, nearly rolling out of the hammock. She escaped and stood with a huff, but Lainey was too quick to drag her bag down. Any reservations were quickly silenced by Lainey’s lips against her own.

“Still want me to stop?” Lainey asked.

“Mm-mmm.” Eva shook her head, her eyes shut and leaned in for another kiss.

When they pulled apart, Lainey tucked Eva’s hair behind her ear and said, “that just means one thing then.”

“What?”

“I need to be more affectionate with you in public. If people don’t see how I feel about you and don’t realize how lucky I am to have such a beautiful, smart, and funny woman like you, then I must be doing something wrong.”

Eva pondered momentarily with a playful finger to her lips. “Well you could start by showing some affection here.”

“Oh yeah?” Lainey quirked an eyebrow and kissed her lips briefly.

“Mmhmm. But you’re going to have to do better than that.”

Eva giggled when Lainey wasted no time in pulling her back in for a deeper kiss. Her eyes shut reveling in the way Lainey’s lips moved so sensually against her own. Hands wandered under clothes, and despite being out in the open, neither were stopping their actions to move inside. Eva gasped when Lainey’s fingers toyed with the waistband of her jeans.

“Let’s take this inside,” Eva breathed against Lainey’s lips.

“Or…” With a devilish smile, Lainey’s fingers unbuttoned the clasp and deftly moved her zipper down, her hand disappearing down Eva’s jeans.

Eva gasped and was too weak to pull away. Just as she dove back in for another heated kiss, her cell phone started to ring.

“Don’t answer it,” Lainey demanded, her fingers more enticing than ever.

“It’s Val, she groaned as she shimmied her phone from her pocket. “She’s been wanting to come over for a while and--”

Lainey grabbed the phone from Eva’s hand and answered. “Call us back. I’m about to get lucky.” With that, she tossed the phone into the bushes and grinned innocently at Eva. “So where were we?”

“If my phone is broken-”

“I’ll buy you a new one,” Lainey promised resuming her earlier actions earning herself a moan.

* * *

  **On Set of The Valley 2006**

"I didn't realize it was in your job description to help me run lines," Lainey said with a wry grin.

"Of course it is!" Eva sat down across from the actress on the couch and pulled towards her a copy of the new script. "Your image is my job. If you mess up a scene and it gets out, then I'm the one who has to deal with the repercussions of making you look good again. I'm doing you a favour really."

Lainey laughed and flipped open to a page she had heavily marked. Eva could see notes to herself and acting directions. Lainey really took her role seriously, and Eva admired that.

"Have you ever acted before?"

"How hard can it be to play a man that's in love with you?" She flipped open her own script and read over Jason's lines in her head. It was the scene where the off-screen couple were finally going to be an on-screen pair. Truth be told, Eva had never acted a lick in her life. So when she deepened her voice and looked lovingly into Lainey's eyes, the actress burst into a fit of laughter, even before the first lines were out.

"What?" Eva straightened. "That's what he sounds like!"

"He does not sound like the Terminator." She leaned over and placed her hand on Eva's thigh. "Just relax. You don't need to pretend you're him."

"How else can I do the scene if I’m not channeling him?”

“Believe me, you aren’t,” Lainey teased. Her green eyes twinkled in laughter. "I am an actress, sweetie. It's my job to pretend. I mean, besides, the people around me they’re just someone else too."

Eva shook her body, doing her best to relax.

"Just read the lines how you would read them and I'll work off that."

Eva nodded as Lainey put away her script. She looked down at the words on the page and exhaled deeply before speaking. "V _ivian. You have no idea how long I've felt this way_."

Lainey, now transformed as Vivian, had a different air about her when she assumed the role of her Valley counterpart. Eyes squinted with dominance exuding from her very core, the essence that was Vivian was more what the rumours of what Lainey was supposed to be like. Lainey was sweet and genuine and funny, while the Vivian before her was distant, powerful, and so damn enticing.

Lainey's red lips parted. " _How long, Jason_?"

" _Too long. I can barely go a minute without you making your way into my mind_ ," Eva recited. " _How do you do it_?"

Lainey laughed softly, her fingers trailing up Eva's bare knee towards the hem of her skirt. " _The same way you do it for me. I feel the exact same way_."

" _You do_?" Eva whispered. Even though it was the line on the page, it felt like it had come from the woman herself. Lainey was looking at her like she was ready to devour her, and Eva couldn’t help but want the same.

“ _I do_ ,” Lainey whispered just as softly.

Eva reached out, her fingertips grazing the side of Lainey’s face. The actress’ eyes shut and she leaned into Eva’s touch. Eva’s fingers moved to the tip of her chin and tugged her face just a little bit closer. “ _I’ve been waiting to hear you say that forever_.”

Lainey’s breath shuddered against her fingers. “This is the part where Jason kisses Vivian.”

“Then Jason should kiss Vivian.”

Eva’s lips quirked into a smile. She wasn’t sure if it was the moment or maybe she really had found her calling in acting, but it was way too easy to be this free with Lainey. She bit her lip. Lainey couldn’t have really meant it. But there she was, lips parted and eyes closed, waiting. Wanting.

Eva’s eyes slid shut just the same as she leaned in closer. They were just acting. Just acting. It wouldn’t mean anything. She could feel Lainey’s breath against her lips making her heart pound frantically. They were inches away, Eva’s hand still on Lainey’s chin, and Lainey’s fingers grazing just underneath her skirt.

Suddenly the door swung open, and they shot apart.

“Where have you been, Lainey?” Val asked storming into the dressing room. “We’ve been paging you for ten minutes. We’re ready to shoot.”

Eva straightened her skirt and stood up, pink tinting her tanned cheeks. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to hold you up. I’ll email about…. That thing we were just discussing, Lainey.”

She rushed out of the dressing room, face completely flushed and her heart racing a mile a minute. She was supposed to be helping her with her lines, not doing... _that._ She ran a hand through her hair and snuck a final glance at the open dressing room.

“What’d I interrupt? An important meeting?” Val asked.

Lainey shook her head, her own face heated. “Nothing.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Meadowlark Assisted Living 2017**

Lainey giggled to herself as she sat cuddled on the bed with Eva. Eva was grateful that today was a good day - a very good day. Not only had she found Lainey in a pleasant mood, but the actress was having a better recall than the last visit. She had graduated from being a stranger to at least a friend. Regardless, it didn’t matter if Lainey never remembered her; she’d have her in any capacity. Eva spent most of the day with her, painting and walking outside. After lunch, Eva wasn’t quite ready to go home, so she pulled out a laptop and popped in a season of _The Valley._

In the past, whenever they watched old reruns of _The Valley_ , Lainey would either love or hate her performance. She’d chuck popcorn at the screen and groan at the awkward deliverance of a line or cringe at whatever outfit the wardrobe people decided to put her in that day. Other times, she’d hush everyone in the room and make sure they watched as her fierce and dominating persona completely stole the scene.

If Eva had to guess, the latter was what Lainey was feeling right now as on-screen Vivian glared daggers at her nemesis. She laughed and settled comfortably with Lainey wrapped under her arm. She hadn’t felt this kind of warmth since Lainey was admitted. It felt almost normal, like they were back at their beach house snuggled in PJs on the couch together.

“Look,” Lainey encouraged, pointing at Vivian. “She’s good.”

Just then, Vivian slapped her nemesis as the camera zoomed in ominously on her determined face.

Eva nodded and agreed, “yeah, that was your favorite part, wasn’t it?”

Lainey lifted her head, a proud smile on her face. Slowly her fingers came up and trailed down the side of Eva’s face. Her eyes drifted shut at the contact but she opened them when Lainey tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. Eva’s eyes watered at the gesture, knowing full well what it meant. Eva leaned into her touch and sighed.

“You were so good in that, baby,” Eva whispered. She kissed Lainey’s fingertips before getting up from the bed and heading towards the dresser. Within a moment, the Emmy Lainey had won was in her hand, and she returned to hold it up to her. “That scene won you this.”

Lainey nodded again. For once, green eyes weren’t glossed over in a haze. Eva ducked her head to see them brighten and watched as Lainey’s nose wrinkled softly and her lips quirk into the smallest smile. Pride was the only thing that came to Eva’s mind as she watched the gears in Lainey’s brain shift in recollection. Suddenly Lainey reached over and held Eva’s hand, giving her a comforting squeeze.

Eva squeezed back and asked, “you remember that day, don’t you?”

“Yes,” Lainey answered softly, her eyes shifting from the award to Eva.

Eva grinned her dimpled smile and sat up excitedly. “What do you remember?”

Lainey returned the look and squeezed her hand once more. “ _You_.”

* * *

 **The Beach House 2016**  

“Come on, come on, come on!” Eva called as she rushed into the living room, a bowl of popcorn balanced in her arm. “It’s starting!” 

“I’m coming already,” Lainey answered as she sauntered in with two wine glasses between her fingers and a bottle of red. “It’s not like they’re going to do Best Leading Actress until the end.”

“But you’re nominated again!” Eva beamed as she leaped onto the couch. Popcorn spilled in between the seats as she waited impatiently for Lainey to sit beside her. “You really sure you’re okay we didn’t go? It is your last one.” 

“Believe me.” Lainey put down the glasses and bottle on the table and sat down next to Eva. She tilted her chin towards her and smiled. “You’ve seen me at those red carpet events. I don’t need to be stressed about trying to remember what dress I’m wearing or who did my hair. I’d much rather be in PJs, in our home, on our couch, with you.”

She kissed her briefly before turning to pour the wine.

“Valid,” Eva agreed. “Do you know how many times I had to go to the media to tell them what dress you were _actually_ wearing?”

Lainey laughed. “Maybe I was just screwing with you.”

She rolled her eyes and set the popcorn bowl on the table. “Where’s the remote?” 

Lainey popped a kernel in her mouth and shrugged. “It’s on the table.”

“It’s not.” Eva moved the glasses and magazines sitting there around but no luck. “You were watching something this afternoon. Where’d you put it?”

“Exactly where it should go.” 

“Which is where?” Eva quirked an eyebrow.

Lainey gulped her wine as she motioned towards the room with her hand. “Somewhere.”

 _“Somewhere.”_ Eva huffed and stood up. She dug in between the couch cushions. “Come on, Lainey. I told you to put things back where you found them.”

“I do!”

Eva glared as her hand came away with car keys, holding them up accusingly. “What do you have to say about these?”

Lainey flushed and finished off her wine in another gulp. “That’s _my_ spot for them. So I know that’s where they are.”

“Uh huh.” She tossed the keys on the table and continued to search. “Seriously, babe, you’ve been forgetting a lot of things lately.”

“I have never forgotten our anniversary or your birthday,” Lainey argued. She stood up to look.

“You’ve been misplacing things all over the house, and don’t forget that the reason that we’re here is because you kept forgetting your lines on-set.”

Lainey laughed and shrugged it off. “That’s old age, sweetie. Me leaving _The Valley_ has nothing to do with why we can’t find the remote.”

Eva huffed and placed her hands on her hips. “Are you even taking me seriously right now? I’m honestly concerned.”

“Why? Because the remote is probably under the couch?”

“No! Because it’s like you’re not always there sometimes.”

Lainey scoffed and sat back down on the couch hard. She poured herself another glass of wine and held it to her lips. Instead of drinking it, she sighed and patted the couch beside her. “Come here.”

“What?” Eva asked. She sat down and gripped Lainey’s hand with a squeeze.

“I don’t want you to feel so concerned. I’m honestly fine.” Placing the glass down and pushing her hair aside, she said, “if I go to the doctor and you see I’m okay, will that help? It’s probably just me getting used to having so much free time on my hands now.”

Eva nodded and pulled Lainey’s hands up to her lips for a kiss. “Yes, thank you.”

“Anything to put your mind at ease.” She pressed a kiss to her forehead and leaned back on the couch. She motioned to the black screen of the TV and asked, “can’t you just turn it on from the buttons on the TV?”

Eva squinted at the flatscreen. “Does that thing even have buttons?”

Lainey stood and hunched her back, putting on a raspy voice. “When I was your age, these picture boxes had turn dials, antennas, and all of _three_ channels!”

She laughed as they both went to inspect the flatscreen. Their fingers roamed around the edges in confusion.

“Seriously, how does this work?” Eva asked.

Lainey pointed to the label markings on the TV. Her finger roamed over the power sign. “Is this like a sensor or something?”

The TV suddenly blared before them, and they both jumped as it came to life.

* * *

 **Day of the Emmys 2006**  

“No, Jason. I don’t want to do that!” Lainey hissed into her phone causing her hair and makeup team to shift around her as they frantically tried to keep the stray hairs in place and prevent her from smearing her lipstick. “Well maybe I don’t want you as my date!”

She angrily ended the call on her phone and tossed it to the couch. Her glam team were right to ignore it and continued on in their jobs, but Eva’s eyes widened as she stepped in front of the actress. “Trouble in paradise?”

“Don’t,” Lainey warned. “I’m really not in the mood.”

“Okay,” Eva acknowledged. The glam team finished their work and left leaving the publicist and the actress alone. “I don’t want you to remember this day as one where you got into a fight with your boyfriend. Lainey Allen has gotten nominated for Best Leading Actress in a Soap Opera, and you’re a shoe in to win.”

“You’ll jinx it.”

“I’m willing to bet my life on it,” Eva said with a wry grin. She held out a paper. “Now let’s go over your acceptance speech. It should be laced with just enough personal touch.”

They spent a few minutes going over her speech before Lainey’s phone rang again. Eva handed it to her, seeing her boyfriend’s name on it at the same time Lainey did. The actress rolled her eyes and declined the call. Eva didn’t say a word and began to pack up.

“Hey,” Lainey called. Eva turned. “Want to go to the Emmys with me tonight?”

Eva’s eyes widened, but she was careful to hold back her excitement at Lainey’s implication. Ever since that day in her dressing room where she helped her run lines, she thought things may have shifted.

She cleared her head with a shake and said, “it’s kind of my job to be there, Lainey.”

“No.” Lainey reached out and held her arm. “I don’t want you there as my publicist.”

This time, Eva’s mouth parted in shock. Green eyes held her captive as Lainey’s question seemed to ring loudly in her brain. She swallowed a lump in her throat despite her racing heart and everything telling her just to say yes.

The phone rang again, and as quick as her excitement came, it dropped like a dead weight. It was Jason.

That thought brought her back to reality, and Eva shook her head. She loosened from Lainey’s grasp and headed towards the door. “I shouldn’t-”

Lainey sighed and picked up the ringing phone. Her eyes remained locked on Eva’s as she spoke, “look, Jason. If it wasn’t clear the first time, our relationship is strictly professional now. I’m tired of fighting with you all the time. It’s over between us. So seriously stop calling, it’s starting to become pathetic.”

With that, she hung up and dropped the phone to the couch once more. Her eyebrow quirked questioningly though there was an a playful tug on her lips. “Does that help you solve whatever it is that’s running around your brain?'

Eva stammered as she ran a hand through her hair. “You’re really going to ask that a second after breaking up with your boyfriend?”

“Are you saying that you don’t feel whatever it is between us?” Lainey asked taking a step towards her. “Because I’m pretty sure that this chemistry could light up an entire room.”

Eva couldn’t help but grin at that. It was true, and Eva was grateful she wasn’t the only one feeling it. She set steely eyes on Lainey and met her with a step forward. “I’ll go with you to the Emmys but not as your date. As your friend.”

“That I can accept,” Lainey said with a nod.

Eva grinned. After all these months working together, she knew the effect her smile had on the actress. With an unspoken agreement, she nodded and pulled the door to her room open. Just before she left, she turned back. “For the record, Lainey, that’s not how you ask a girl out.”

“Are you going to teach me how?”

She grinned. “Absolutely.”

She was about to shut the door when Lainey’s voice had her turning back. “For the record, Eva, all I want is _you_. In whatever capacity that is.”

Eva was paralyzed standing in the entrance of the doorway. She waited with bated breath as Lainey took slow and careful steps towards her and gently tucked back a strand of her hair behind her ear. Her eyes nearly slid shut at the contact.

“I just want you to know that whenever one of us does that, it’s not us acting or pretending. We mean it.” Her hand trailed down to Eva’s and squeezed it. “ _I_ mean it.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Meadowlark Assisted Living 2017**

Eva stretched and reveled in the feeling of Lainey asleep on top of her. Sleepovers were strictly against the rules in Meadowlark, but she and Lainey had fallen asleep watching reruns on her laptop just after lunch. Eva knew she was breaking the rules, but when the nurse came in to check up on them, the pleading look on Eva’s face was enough for the nurse to turn a blind eye.

She was grateful for the chance to wake up wrapped up in Lainey’s arms again. A smile of contentment fluttered on her face as her fingers stroked Lainey’s hair. She kissed her forehead gently rousing the woman. “We have to get up, Lainey.”

Slowly Lainey began to stir. She groaned into Eva’s chest and picked up her head. Her eyes were squinted as she took in the room. A bit of drool was dried on Lainey’s lips, and Eva wanted to laugh. It was like waking up at home.

But her stomach dropped as she noticed Lainey pull away more quickly than she anticipated and saw the way green eyes shifted around the room in fear.

“No, Lainey, it’s okay,” Eva rushed to explain.

Lainey shook her head and pushed away from Eva, nearly knocking her off the bed. “Who are you?!”

Eva straightened and held her hands out cautiously. “Sweetheart, it’s me. It’s Eva.” Her voice croaked as Lainey continued to shake her head. “Don’t you remember me?”

“Get out. Get out of here. Get out!” Lainey yelled so loudly Eva jumped.

“Lainey…”

“Leave!” Lainey took a hurried step forward, her arms outstretched like she was going to push Eva out if she had to, but her foot caught on the bed and she stumbled forward.

Eva rushed to catch her before she hit the ground. “Baby, it’s okay. It’s okay. _I’ve got you_.”

Lainey was having none of it. She pushed Eva away so fiercely, the woman nearly fell backwards. Lainey reached for a pillow and threw it then reached for her tin can of paint brushes and hurled it at the wall. The door burst open and two nurses rushed in, making a beeline for the distressed woman.

Tears streamed down her face as she watched them hold her arms down and prevent her from throwing anything else. The nurses didn’t take into account all the morning runs and yoga that Lainey did nearly everyday for the past twenty years because she was able to push one off and began storming towards the center of the room. The nurse rushed and pushed Eva out the door, slamming it shut behind her.

Eva sobbed as a loud thud knocked against the door from inside Lainey’s room. It wasn’t a good day. It had started off as a good day, but somewhere between watching reruns and napping, the good day had gotten so, so bad. She should have known when the nurse mentioned that Lainey might not be up for visitors today, but Eva was always known to be a bit stubborn. She wanted to see Lainey, however she was.

The actress hadn’t remembered her. Eva was used to the foggy look in Lainey’s eyes as her memory clouded in a permanent swirl, but this time, green eyes were lighting with anger. Anger at her. Anger at the world. She choked back a sob and let her back fall against the closed door. She slid down and hugged her knees to her chest.

It never got easier.

* * *

**The Beach House 2016**

Eva was numb. That was the only word she could use to describe how she felt. She didn’t understand why Lainey wasn’t more upset by this; she didn’t get how she could pretend this wasn’t happening. But it was. It was happening in front of them, and Eva was too stupid to notice. She saw the signs of early onset Alzheimer’s, and although she never had a name for it, she knew they were there. The memory loss and the mood swings - it was all there.

She sat on the bed, hands shaking as she tried to read the pamphlet in her hands. Her tears were clouding her vision too much that the words just weren’t forming. Blinking them away, she opened the pamphlet and began reading the symptoms and what to expect in the coming years. _Language and vision problems, changes in personality and behavior, prone to infection and disease that can lead to --_ Eva gasped and dropped the pamphlet on the ground.

This wasn’t happening. This wasn’t happening to them. Lainey was young. She was so young. They just started their life together. It wasn’t fair!

A sob ripped from her throat as she screamed out in frustration.

They _just_ started their forever at the beach house. They were supposed to grow old here. She ripped the sheets from the bed and threw one of the pillows against the wall, rattling the wall sconce beside the bed. She reached for the jewelry bowl on their nightstand and chucked it, the glass breaking, tossing earrings and necklaces around the room.

Another scream pierced the air as she cried, imagining Lainey in a hospital room, not remembering who she was, or who they were, or what they meant to each other. Her knees trembled and gave way. She crashed to the floor in a mess of sheets and glass as the tears continued to fall.

“Hey,” a soft voice called. “Baby, it’s okay.”

Lainey’s familiar arms wrapped around her and hugged tightly as if her arms alone could stop this nightmare they were having.

“I’ve got you, baby. It’s okay, I’m here,” Lainey promised. Her lips pressed against Eva’s temple, but Eva continued to cry.

She shook her head and clutched Lainey’s arms. “No, you’re not. You won’t be here forever. We were supposed to be forever. We were supposed to grow gray together and sit on that porch sipping wine forever. This was it for us, Lainey! This home was supposed to be just you and me. Who’s going to be here to wake me up at a godforsaken hour for sunrise yoga or catch me when I’m doing that damn tree pose?”

A sad smile came across Lainey’s lips as she shifted Eva in her arms. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, and though it was their gesture, the move made Eva’s lip quiver and a whimper escaped. Mascara ran down her face from the tears, and it hurt just having Lainey look at her like she was the only thing in this world.

Green eyes watered, making them shine like the ocean they had always longed to escape to. “You are so beautiful.”

“Don’t do that now, Lainey,” Eva weeped. She tried to wipe her face, but Lainey held her back.

“I want to memorize this.”

“Don’t remember me like this.”

“I’m remembering you as loving, kind, and the most compassionate human being I’ve ever met in my life.” She brought Lainey’s hands up to her lips and kissed them. “I know. I may not be there for you, but I swear if I could, then I would. There’s nothing I want more in this world than you, and I-”

Tears choked Lainey just the same, and soon the two women were sprawled on the floor, crying into each other’s necks. It was true that Lainey had more time to process, knowing full well that the odds of her getting Alzheimer’s were a fifty percent chance, but suffering the news together - that took a toll on the two of them.

“I love you,” Eva whimpered, clutching the back of Lainey’s neck like a lifeline.

“I love you.” Lainey pressed her lips against Eva’s in a firm but watery kiss. “I promise you I’ll fight this as long as I can. I don’t want to be anywhere where you’re not. You’re it for me.”

“You’re it for me too,” Eva promised.

Lainey nodded, fighting through the tears to muster up a small smile. She reached out to wipe at Eva’s face once more, and this time she let her.

* * *

**Eva’s Home 2006**

Early mornings were always revered in the Morales household. The warm pink of the sky would crack just behind the ocean horizon, and the song of the birds singing melodiously would fill the otherwise quiet morning with a sense of serenity. It was a time where there was no one else in the world.

Eva, however, rarely witnessed these moments. A go-getter she may be, the woman barely functioned without at least two cups of coffee and needed the clock to reach the double digits. She was more a night owl than anything, so despite the serenity of the mornings, she opted for the comfort of her bed.

The banging on her door said otherwise.

Eva groaned and shoved her face further into her pillow, hoping that whatever solicitor was at her door would get the memo and know she wasn't interested in whatever they were selling. Still, the knocking continued then escalated to the constant trill of her doorbell.

She banged her pillow with a closed fist and brushed back the tangled mess of her glued to her face. “Someone better have a death wish,” she muttered as she whipped the comforter off and stood.

Dressed in shorts and a tank, she stormed down her stairs and yanked open her front door, murder in her eyes.

“What?” She hissed.

“Well good morning to you too, sunshine.” Lainey stood outside her door, a sheen of sweat glistening from her forehead. She wore a work out t-shirt and jogging pants, and she was so very awake. Her saving grace was the to-go mug of coffee in her hand.

Eva dropped her head against the door frame and shut her eyes. “What did you do? What fire do I need to put out?”

Lainey laughed. “Can't I just pop by for a visit?”

Eva brought her watch up to her face and nearly cried. “It's not even 5! The moon is still out!”

Lainey offered the coffee. “You asked how I look so good so I'm here to show you how.”

Eva took the coffee and took a long gracious sip. “I was really looking more for tips or advice. Nothing hands on.”

Lainey's eyes zeroed in on her rumpled form, and Eva felt less than attractive. She shifted from foot to foot and self-consciously brought an arm around her middle, but that didn't stop the look in Lainey's eyes.

“I kind of figured you would like the hands on approach,” Lainey said casually. She took a step back and motioned to her car in the driveway. “But if you'd rather a tip, I can-”

Eva held her hand up and took a deeper gulp of her coffee. “I don't do runs.”

“Already did it,” Lainey laughed. “Go get some gym clothes on. I’ll just wait in the kitchen.”

“Okay. Just give me five minutes.”

Five minutes turned out to be fifteen where Eva overthought what she should wear and if she should wear makeup. It wasn't like it was a date. Any respectable date would show up when the sun was in the sky and when Eva was properly caffeinated. But she supposed she could make an exception for Lainey. Foregoing the makeup, she donned a pair of leggings and a t-shirt she normally used for sleeping. She met Lainey in the kitchen where the actress had knowingly made her another cup of coffee.

She sipped it as they ventured out of her home. A moment of surprise caught her when Lainey bypassed her car and took a path towards the ocean. The actress threw a knowing smile before she urged Eva towards the beach with a gentle tug.

By the time they reached the sand, she had finished her coffee and frowned at Lainey’s silhouette in the still dark morning as she walked towards the water.

“You said to wear gym clothes!” Eva called to Lainey's retreating form. “I'm not wearing a bathing suit!”

“I wouldn't mind skinny dipping with you, but we don't need bathing suits.” Lainey slipped her sneakers and socks off before letting her toes dig into the sand. “Now come on!”

Eva shook her head, both amused and more than slightly confused by the morning’s events. Following suit, she slipped off her shoes and hurried to catch up to Lainey.

The actress stopped just shy where the water pulled in by the tide. She took a deep breath and inhaled. In that moment, her silhouette relaxed as if being out this early was enough to bring life into her. Eva couldn't help but take in her beauty. Lainey never failed to mention how beautiful Eva was, but the feeling was mutual. Lainey was gorgeous.

Suddenly green eyes open and squinted self-consciously. “What?”

Eva rolled a shoulder. “The view is already making up for the early morning wake up.”

Lainey turned towards the horizon where the deep blue of the sky was starting to crack pink. “Isn't it wonderful?”

Eva's eyes stayed locked on Lainey's form. She nodded. “Yeah it is.”

Turning excitedly, Lainey clapped her hands and held Eva around the shoulders. “Ever done sunrise yoga?”

“I've barely done regular yoga.”

“You'll love it,” Lainey promised. She motioned to an area on the sand and smoothed it out for the two of them. “It really connects you to the earth.”

“See here’s the thing, I'm not all that flexible or have the greatest balance.” A gust of wind swept Eva’s hair up. When she tugged a strand away from her face, the hooded look on Lainey’s face didn’t go unnoticed.  

“You'll do great.”

It was relaxing, Eva had to admit as she mimicked Lainey's moves. Starting with sun salutation, they continued various yoga poses for ten minutes. Eva's struggle began with the upward and downward dogs - the sand loved getting into her mouth. Nothing was more embarrassing though then when she attempted crow. Her knees were barely on her elbows when she faceplanted into the sand. That made Lainey cackle in the early morning light. The way that her face lit up was worth the second of pain and embarrassment.

They were coming up from their swan dive pose when the pink crack of the horizon was glowing brighter and brighter with every passing minute. She almost forgot to focus on her balance for the warrior pose as the sunrise captivated her attention. Even more so, she loved the way Lainey's eyes closed and her chin tilted up as if accepting the glowing rays of the sun.

Watching Lainey made her lose her focus as they were starting to do the tree pose. Her left foot was wobbling in the sand, and her right refused to stay still on the inside of her thigh.

“Woah!” She stumbled onto the sand.

“I had trouble with this one too,” Lainey offered and easily escaped her position to stand in front of Eva. She brought Eva's hands up to her shoulders to steady her. “Now lift your foot and place it on your thigh.”

Carefully, Eva followed her advice, but it was difficult to do that with Lainey staring at her lips. She really should have put makeup on. She must look like a mess.

Lainey tucked that pesky strand of hair the wind kept catching and tucked it back behind her ear. “See, you're doing it.”

“You're a good teacher.”

“Or maybe I just like the excuse of holding you.”

Eva bit her lip at Lainey’s flirtatious comment, but it was her fingers stroking up and down Eva’s arms that had her heart beating triple time. It was no Hollywood secret that Lainey Allen was a flirt; already Eva had to dispel a rumor or two. This time was different though. It wasn’t just some playful comment that Lainey was quick to respond to. Her eyes told a different story as they searched Eva’s. It was like Lainey was looking for something, confirmation that her feelings were reciprocated or just a sign that this wasn’t one-sided. She must have found it as Eva blushed, her cheeks dimpling in a smile as she dropped her chin to look to the ground, because Lainey picked her chin back up between her fingers and made them eye level.

Eva’s breath hitched. For a second, she thought Lainey was going to lean in for a kiss, and at this rate, she was going to let her. But then Lainey playfully rapped her cheek with her knuckles and shook her head as if amused with herself. “You know I love it when you do that.”

Eva laughed and slowly brought her hands down from Lainey's shoulder and brought them to prayer. “Settle down, tiger. It’s not like this is a date or anything.”

Lainey shook her head with a grin. “I don't know. Beautiful woman on a beach at sunrise? Sounds like a perfect date to me.”

“And there's your problem,” Eva teased. “It's too damn early.”

Lainey laughed out loud and resumed her own tree pose. “I like to seize the day, that’s all.”

“You can seize it after noon.”

Lainey hummed and shut her eyes once more. Her hands moved from prayer to above her head as if praising the sky above her. Eva wasn’t at that skill yet. She could barely keep her balance with her eyes open. At least from this spot, she could appreciate the muscle straining in Lainey’s leg as it kept balance and the even rise and fall of her chest as she synchronized the breathing.

Eva should have learned from the first time that Lainey was proving to be a huge distraction. Watching her body work through the move, Eva lost her footing once more and windmilled towards the ground.

Before she made contact, strong arms wrapped around her waist and held her up. As soon as she was stable enough, the first thing she was met with was Lainey stifling a giggle.

“I suck at this,” Eva muttered, trying to straighten herself but the incoming tide made it difficult to maneuver. All it did was make her stumble more.

Lainey shrugged it off and squeezed her arms. “ _It’s okay. I’ve got you_.”  



	5. Chapter 5

**Meadowlark Assisted Living 2017**  
  
Eva held her breath as the nurse knocked on Lainey’s door. She wasn’t sure if Lainey remembered her today; the last time she was here, Lainey nearly tore her room apart in confusion. Luckily she was armed with a secret weapon, so no matter Lainey’s mood today, she hoped her surprise would be able to jog a few memories.  
  
The nurse opened the door, and Eva found Lainey watching television on the small TV in the corner. The woman barely glanced up. It wasn’t a great sign, but at least her eyes didn’t squint in confusion.  
  
“Lainey, you have a visitor.” The nurse led Eva inside then left them alone once she was sure Lainey was okay.  
  
“Hi, baby,” Eva called, dropping her large bag on the floor by the bed. She walked up to Lainey and crouched. “How are you today?”  
  
Lainey nodded, though there was still no sign of recollection.  
  
“Watching something good?”  
  
She nodded again.  
  
“I have something to show you.” She pointed to her bag. “Do you want to watch something with me?”  
  
Lainey didn’t answer right away. She stared at Eva perplexed as her eyes shifted from the woman to the TV. Finally, she rolled a shoulder in cautious agreement before letting Eva help her stand from her chair. Eva led Lainey to the bed, fluffing the pillows so she sat up straight. Quickly, she dug her laptop from her bag and powered it on. She sat beside Lainey and stuck a USB into the drive.  
  
“Do you want to watch my favourite movies?”  
  
“What is it?” Lainey asked quietly.  
  
Eva grinned. “It’s you.”  
  
The woman looked confused for a moment before Eva navigated to the drive’s files. A series of videos, most showing a preview of Lainey’s face, popped up in the window. Eva clicked on the first one and watched with bright eyes as Lainey appeared on the screen.  
  
Lainey never made it a habit to document her life with video diaries like Eva had suggested. Instead, they were more like video letters, specifically to Eva. There was one here and there for Val or when Lainey got too overwhelmed, but most of the videos on the drive were Lainey talking to Eva.  
  
“That’s me,” Lainey said with a childish smile as she pointed at the screen.  
  
“Yeah, they’re of you.” Eva settled in beside Lainey and was careful not to overwhelm the woman by wrapping her arm around her or providing too much stimulation. She learned to be content just sitting in the same room as her.  
  
It was amazing watching the world from Lainey’s point of view. Some days it was like Lainey was seeing things for the first time.  
  
“You know who you’re talking to in these videos?” Eva asked.  
  
“Who?”  
  
She brushed Lainey’s nose. “Me.”  
  
“You.”  
  
“Yeah,” she nodded. “Eva… _remember_?”  
  
Lainey stared at her for a moment with a tilt of her head. The gears were shifting as her brain struggled to remember, but nothing seemed to come in that moment. Disappointment flooded Eva’s face, but this was better progress than last time, and she continued to play the videos for Lainey.  
  
A few clips in, Eva was watching Lainey more than she was watching the recordings. Eva laughed as Lainey made a face and groaned beside her. Lainey's words were sweet, and Eva had them memorized verbatim, but having Lainey watch them with her just made the moment even more precious. Ever the actress, Lainey was wincing at herself on-screen.  
  
“What? This is one of my favorite videos,” Eva explained. She clicked on a video that had Lainey smirking into the camera before it flipped and followed down the hallway.  
  
Lainey shook her head and rubbed at her throat. “My voice.”  
  
Laughter filled the air as Eva removed Lainey's hand from her throat. “It's not too high pitched or too deep. I love your voice.”  
  
The camera shifted and Eva appeared on screen, surprised by Lainey's sudden appearance. The couple grinned and laughed, barely looking at the camera as their eyes were only focused on the other.  
  
"That's you," Lainey repeated, pointing to the video.  
  
Eva nodded. "You liked to sneak up on me and tickle me."  
  
"Like this!" Suddenly, Lainey reached out, tickling her under her arms.  
  
Eva shrieked in laughter, nearly knocking the laptop to the ground. Lainey leaned over her with a proud grin before her smile slowly formed into wonder. The actress once admitted that she never understood what Eva saw in her, but it was in moments like the look right here where Eva felt the most loved.  
  
"Love,” Lainey said moving her fingers down over Eva's heart.  
  
Eva's eyes watered as she smiled proudly. “Yeah. We love each other.”  
  
Lainey hummed in contentment and rested her head down on Eva's shoulder. Eva continued to play the video when Lainey shook her head and groaned. “Change it.”

* * *

 **The Beach House 2016**  
  
The weeks following Lainey's diagnosis had been bittersweet. Both Eva and Lainey had this unspoken agreement that neither wanted to be too far away from the other, as if missing even a second of each other’s life was a wasted moment.  
  
Still, Eva found it difficult to get used to Lainey's sudden mood swings and her complete behavioural changes. The other day, Lainey wanted a spoon for her cereal, and she grew red in the face trying to figure out what exactly a spoon was called. Instead of eating, she trashed her bowl in the sink, cereal and milk mixing with the broken glass.  
  
It was hard, Eva knew it would be. But not once did she consider any other life.  
  
She was in the bedroom folding the last of their laundry. Eva had joked that maybe Lainey's change in behaviour would make her more susceptible to do the laundry, but Lainey just laughed at her and handed her the clean clothes.  
  
She could hear Lainey talking just down the hall; Val must have called to check in. She picked up the folded clothes from the bed and turned to put them in their closet.  
  
"Eva!" Lainey laughed, jumping up behind her.  
  
Eva shrieked and dropped the clothes, covering her head in fear before realizing the source. Damn Lainey and her damn surprise attacks.  
  
"Lainey!" Eva smacked the woman's arms, nearly knocking her outstretched phone from her hands. "Are you going to do the laundry?"  
  
"God, no," Lainey scoffed and wrapped an arm around Eva's shoulder pulling her in close. Their heads were pressed together as she held the phone high above them. "You know you're the love of my life, right?"  
  
Despite her casual tone, the words made Eva blush. "Something like that."  
  
"I'm serious." Lainey's green eyes were focused on her now. They had a tendency to stare right to her very core, as if Lainey wanted to understand every essence of her. "You want me to make these videos, I've decided what I want to talk about."  
  
"And what's that?" Eva challenged.  
  
"How much I love you."  
  
Eva laughed in pleased embarrassment. "And how much is that?"  
  
Lainey removed her hand from Eva's shoulder and tugged her chin closer to place a kiss on her lips. "So much more than you'll ever know."  
  
"Tell me."  
  
"Where do I begin?" She laughed and stared fondly at her. "Not only are you the smartest woman I know, but you are somehow the scariest despite how beautiful you are.”

“Hey!” Eva playfully smacked her. “You’re supposed to say why you love me.”

“I am!” Lainey laughed pulling Eva back in. “Do you know how many times you nearly made agents or paparazzi or whoever crossed my path cry because they messed up my schedule or took a bad photo of me? Misquoted me. No one messes with you.”

Eva shrugged proudly. “I’m good at my job.”

“Oh I know that.” Lainey answered with a kiss. “My honest-to-god biggest regret was not asking you out the moment I met you.”

Eva rolled a shoulder. “To be fair, you didn’t ask me out even when you realized you liked me. Or the next few times after that.”

“I was building up a moment!” Lainey argued. “Come on, we made memories beating around the bush. Half the fun was acting like girlfriends, saying that we’re not, but pretending that we are to get guys to stop hitting on us.”

Eva laughed at the memory. “Oh god, remember Chad Strange?”

“How can I forget?” Lainey pulled Eva in and kissed her temple. “You're my best friend, Eva. You were my friend before we were even us. Every time it feels like this disease might pull me back in, you and your strength, they help me fight."

“I don’t do much,” she said bashfully.

“You love me,” Lainey said simply. “That’s all you need to do.”`

Eva hummed and wrapped both arms around Lainey’s shoulders, pulling her in for a hug. “Well in that case, my work here is done.”

* * *

**A Bar 2006**

“So does this count as a date yet?” Lainey asked over the music in the bar. She convinced Eva to take a night off, and the two found themselves at a dive bar in the city. The place was crowded, the drinks were flowing, and the two women nearly sat on top of each other in a booth.

Eva laughed and sipped the last of her wine. “Of course not! This is just two women hanging out after work.”

“Not your typical nine to five,” Lainey said toasting her martini.

“What? People don't normally do photoshoots and interview with Soap Opera Digest?”

Lainey mused over her question and posed one of her own, curiosity lighting up her face. “What's your normal?”

“Definitely not a 5AM wake up call,” Eva said pointedly.

“I mean if we lived a different life. Would you be a soccer mom with the minivan, or would you be like me and waiting for the clock to hit noon so I can finally have a glass of wine.”

“Noon,” Eva repeated impressed. “Here I thought you cracked a bottle at 11.”

“I'm learning self restraint.”

They laughed before Eva finally answered her question with a shrug. “I’d want a quiet life. Away from the city living somewhere on the beach. A nice big porch where I can look out over the ocean, I can sip wine with the person I love.”

Lainey just looked at her, and Eva felt embarrassment flushing her cheeks. Lainey had lived a lavish life for years. The thought of something more simple surely sounded like a death sentence. “Cliche, I know.”

“No.” Lainey pressed a hand over hers and squeezed. “That sounds perfect.”

Eva rolled a shoulder and asked, “what about you? Should I even ask what your dream life is? You're Lainey Allen.”

“It has its perks,” Lainey said holding her martini to her lips. “But it's more who my life is. Not really where.”

Eva hummed. “Now that's a good interview answer if I ever did hear one.”

“Excuse me, ladies.” A deep voice interrupted their conversation, and they looked up to see a young man easily half their age. His long, wavy blonde hair matched his goatee. The shark tooth necklace around his neck was so predictable of him, and Eva were to bet that he would have some sort of tribal tattoo on his bicep. “I couldn't help but notice you two beautiful ladies sitting here all alone.”

“We’re not alone,” Eva said. She motioned her head to Lainey. “We’ve got each other.”

He grinned and slid in beside Eva. His arm wrapped around the back of the booth not so subtly. He slid over a martini and another glass of wine to the two of them, though neither of them were quick to grab. “I thought I could freshen up your drinks and we could get to know each other. I'm Chad. Chad Strange.”

Lainey, who was still sipping on her martini, snorted into her glass. “I'm sorry, Chad Strange?”

He smiled unphased. “I think it gives me character.”

“It gives you something that's for sure.” Lainey held in her laughter.

“Oh come on,” he pouted, leaning much too close to them. Eva nearly gagged on his pungent cologne. It was like he bathed in it. “My friends over there, they think I'll strike out since you two are way out of my league. Don't leave me embarrassed in front of them.”

Eva caught Lainey’s side eye. The actress winked and leaned over the table, placing her chin daintily on her fingers. “You think we’re out of your league, do you?”

“A couple of beauties like yourself? I know you are.”

Lainey turned to Eva and tucked her hair behind her ear. “She is beautiful, isn't she?”

Eva squinted but Lainey threw her a look to play along. Chad, however, was grinning like a mad man. “Absolutely stunning.”

She grinned. “I think so too. In fact, it was the first thing I told her when I saw her.”

Slowly, Lainey's fingers trailed down Eva's neck. Chad’s eyes bulged excitedly, but Eva started to understand. She subtly leaned into Lainey’s side and nodded.

“Remember the first thing I said when I saw you?” Eva played along.

Lainey put a finger to her lips in thought. “Was ‘will you be my girlfriend?’ Because I definitely remember saying yes to that.”

Chad’s face squinted in confusion.

As if reading each other’s mind, Eva leaned into Lainey completely and Lainey dropped her arm around her shoulders, effectively pushing off Chad’s. His face dropped.

“That's right, buddy. We’re on a date and you're killing our buzz,” Eva snapped.

He opened his mouth to argue but Lainey slid his proffered drinks closer to them. “But we’ll keep these.” She smiled and clapped a wave. “Buh-bye!”

He grumbled and slid out of the booth to return to his friends. As soon as he was out of sight, Lainey and Eva burst out into a fit of laughter.

“What a poor kid,” Lainey chuckled into her new martini.

Despite him being gone, neither moved from their current position. Eva glanced at Lainey under hooded eyes. Lainey, on the other hand, put down her glass and pulled Eva in closer with a coy smile. “So this is a date.”

Eva cackled and playfully pushed away though she remained close. “Not by a long shot. You don’t get off that easy.”

“Wouldn’t you like to know?” Lainey said in a low voice.

Eva rolled her eyes. ”That’s more like a date two or three thing.”

“So if we add up going to the Emmys together, our sunrise yoga and now this, then I’d say I’m in for a good night tonight.”

“Well you know,” Eva said leaning in salaciously, playfully tugging Lainey in by the collar of her shirt. “We could go back to my place.”

“Oh?” Lainey widened her eyes, clearly not expecting that response. “And do what?”

“And,” Eva said, her lips close to Lainey’s. “Play dominos.”

Lainey scoffed as Eva laughed. “You’re bad.”

“It’s fun!” They continued to laugh, finishing off the drinks Chad Strange had purchased for them when Eva leaned her head on her fist and looked at Lainey thoughtfully. “You really think I’m that beautiful, huh?”

“Oh, sweetheart,” Lainey said playing with Eva's hair. “Anyone with eyes can see that. But I'm more devoted to your friendship and your brain. The other stuff is just an added bonus that I also really enjoy.”

“Mmm,” Eva hummed. “Another good answer.”


	6. Chapter 6

**Meadowlark Assisted Living 2017**

Eva nearly forgot how much she loved Lainey's laughter. Green eyes would crinkle in mirth whenever she found something hysterical or they would twinkle with mischief whenever she was planning on scaring Eva. Now, Lainey's laughter was light - like the innocent joy of a child. They sat painting in her room, both sitting in a chair in front of her desk with wads of paper and brushes and paint placed around them.

Painting was one of the best things Lainey was able to use to express herself. She may have lost most of her language, and the complex wires in her brain had simplified, but when she painted, Eva was reminded that Lainey was still in there. Fighting.

Eva wasn't much of an artist. Her beach scene was pretty crude even for her standards, but Lainey lit up when she offered to paint seagulls in the sky and add waves to the ocean. Eva focused on the pink of the rising sun at the horizon when she looked over at Lainey's painting.

“That's so good, baby,” Eva applauded. She paused her painting to fully examine Lainey's.

It was nothing more than a simple tent on the grass. The sky was dotted with spots that Eva knew to be the night sky. Her face split into a wide grin.

“You remember that night?” Eva asked breathlessly. Lainey's memory was going more often than it was coming, so days like today when Lainey could withstand a long visit and actually interact with Eva were becoming a rarity.

Lainey's grin matched Eva’s, but where Eva was proud, Lainey's smile was wide and goofy and her cheeks were tinted with a flush. She nodded enthusiastically.

“Sleep,” Lainey stammered, pressing her fingers to her forehead trying to grasp onto the words. “Sleep out. Outside.”

“Yes!” Eva beamed.

Lainey motioned her hand above her and moved her fingers out like that were exploding. “The sky.”

“Yes,” Eva nodded, clasping Lainey's excited hands and pressing them to her lips with a kiss. Her eyes watered at the woman’s achievements and she urged her on. “Yes, we slept under the stars that night.”

Lainey grinned and motioned to the tent excitedly and then patted at her chest. “Good. Feel good.”

Eva squinted in confusion before she really focused in on the tent. Sudden realization hit her.

“Oh.” She bit her lip to keep from laughing as Lainey continued to excitedly point at the tent.

“I,” she stammered to get out. “Like it.”

Eva laughed to herself and rubbed Lainey's back. “Oh I bet you did.”

* * *

**The Beach House 2016**

“Should I be scared?”

Eva led a blindfolded Lainey to the backyard, helping her down the porch steps, and walking her out onto the grass. “Am I a scary person?”

“You are when you're sneaky,” Lainey muttered. Her hands were outstretched getting a feel for her surroundings.

Eva pressed her lips into her ear and whispered, “then consider me scary.”

She grinned when she felt Lainey shudder under her arm. Stopping in front of the surprise, Eva let go of Lainey and rushed ahead of her.

“Open.” She clasped her hands in front of her and waited for Lainey to take off the blindfold.

Lainey tugged the fold down and squinted as she took in the darkness and the fact they were outside. Her eyes widened in surprise when she finally noticed that Eva was standing in front of a tent, a lamp brightening it up from the inside.

The actress laughed and removed the blindfold from around her neck. She motioned to the tent intrigued. “What's this?”

The tent was nothing more than their spare bed sheet draped over a horizontal pole and pinned down. Inside were several sleeping bags laid on the ground with a lantern providing them light.

“One of your happy nows,” Eva easily supplied.

She held her hands out and Lainey grabbed them easily. She pulled the flap of the tent open and led the actress inside. They settled on the sleeping bags, sitting cross-legged in front of each other.

“You once told me your dream life didn't matter as long as you were with the right person,” Eva explained. She pulled Lainey's hand into her lap, but the way that green eyes stared at her with wonder had her nearly forgetting everything she wanted to say. Licking her lips, she continued. “I am so thankful and so blessed to be that person for you. Whether we’re living in some beach house or camped out under the stars, I know you're that person for me too.”

“Now I thought I was supposed to be the one who has the way with words,” Lainey teased. She looked around the tent and added, “you know I've never been camping before?”

Eva nodded. “It's why I went with hitching one up in a backyard. You, Lainey Allen, would never survive real wilderness camping.”

“You know me well.” Just then Lainey spotted a bottle of wine chilling in the corner with two glasses laying delicately beside it. Her eyes brightened. “Oh, you know me very well.”

She poured them a glass of wine, and when they both took a sip, Lainey said, “we should actually go camping one day. Take in our primitive ways.”

“Imagine the headlines,” Eva teased. “Lainey Allen Lost in Wilderness.”

“I would not get lost!” Lainey playfully slapped her knee.

“Oh right,” she chuckled. “Your primitive ways would save you.”

Lainey bit her lip and put both their glasses back down on the tray. Within an instant, her lips were on Eva's as she pressed against the other woman sensually.

In the heated moments of their kiss, Eva almost forgot why they were out there for. She pushed up and straddled Lainey's lap, wrapping her arms around her neck as their kiss deepened.

“Admit it,” Lainey said breathlessly between kisses. “You're romancing me with the night sky and wine to get lucky.”

It was a tease but Eva leaned back. Her fingers trailed down the slight wrinkles on Lainey's face. Lainey was changing a little bit every day. Whether it was forgetting where the car keys were or just lashing out on the smallest thing, Lainey's diagnosis was already progressing and there was only so much they could do to slow it down.

But they could make memories.

They could make unforgettable memories that even the headlines or the stars could deny them. She wanted to give Lainey the best of the best while she could still remember, so gripping her face, she dove in for a deep kiss.

The move took Lainey off guard that she nearly toppled over into the sleeping bags, but she held firm. Her hands at Eva's waist kept her stable though the woman moved sensually over her. They barely moved apart, only to steal a breath of air. Finally, Eva pulled away and pushed Lainey back down against the sleeping bags.

“What was your favourite time with me?”

Lainey's eyes widened. It was rare Eva ever spoke so boldly in the bedroom, and judging by the fire in Lainey's eyes, she liked it.

Not letting her answer, Eva dipped her head and began kissing down Lainey's neck. Her lips trailed down until her tongue came out to dip in between the vee of her shirt. “I want you to think about that time, know that what I'm about to do to you is something you remember me by.”

Eva lifted her shirt then, lips kissing around the swell of Lainey's breast. It was rare that Eva could silence the other woman, but tonight seemed to be the exception.

Lainey didn't fight as she eagerly sat up and let Eva discard her shirt. Eva played with her breasts behind her bra before that also met the same fate as her shirt.

Slowly, Eva's lips trailed down Lainey's exposed stomach, carving a tantalizing path down towards the top of her jeans. Lainey was breathing heavy underneath her, and all Eva could think was that she had to make this memory count for Lainey. Make them all count.

She barely fiddled with the button of her jeans before the other woman unexpectedly sat up and pulled her in for a fierce kiss. There was desperation in Lainey's kiss, as if she was trying to pour everything she had into it.

Eva could feel the bruise forming on her lips, but she refused to pull away. Not for a second.

“I see what you’re doing,” Lainey breathed against her. Her lips trailed down Eva’s neck, nipping at her collarbone.

“What’s that?”

In one swift movement, Lainey flipped Eva onto her back. Usually Lainey’s eyes would darken with lust whenever they got intimate, but this time, Lainey’s eyes were red-rimmed with tears.

“Lainey.” Eva sat up and clutched her face between her hands in concern. “What’s wrong? Did I--”

Lainey shook her head and sniffled, wiping at the falling tears with the back of her hand. “I’m going to miss you.”

The words struck deep inside Eva. She bit her lip and swallowed the lump in her throat.

“Lainey, you’re not--”

Lainey silenced her with a kiss before sitting back on her knees. “I am. And we can’t pretend any longer that I’m not. I know you want to make tonight, and every night and every second that we’re with each other, special and memorable, but sweetheart you’re the one who’s going to the keeper of our memories.”

Eva shook her head trying to keep her emotions at bay, but the elephant in the room was out, and the idea of Lainey forgetting her was incomprehensible. Lainey tugged her chin up and placed the sweetest kiss on her lips. She peppered her face with kisses until Eva was consumed by Lainey’s lips once more.

“I want to make memories for you,” Lainey whispered, her fingers pulling Eva’s shirt up. “When I forget, I want you to remember for the two of us.” Her lips trailed up Eva’s stomach before she removed her shirt completely. “Can I?”

Eva shuddered as Lainey’s lips descended downwards, her fingers tugging down Eva’s shorts. She mustered out a nod just before Lainey’s mouth was completely on her. This night was supposed to be about Lainey, making her days unforgettable. But as Lainey moved meaningfully within her, she gave way to the desperation and devotion. Her days with Lainey had an expiration date, but they’d make the most of it while they still could.

* * *

**Eva’s Office 2006**

Eva growled as she angrily slammed her laptop shut. She pressed her fingers to her forehead to massage out the impending headache threatening to ruin the rest of her afternoon. The press were having a field day with Lainey Allen and her recent breakup with longterm on- and off-screen boyfriend. Lainey had wanted a quiet breakup, and quite honestly, Eva was surprised the media hadn’t found out sooner. Lainey had been single for a few months, and they had been dancing around their relationship since them. The fact that the media hadn’t gotten wind of _that_ was a miracle.

The question of who Lainey Allen was seeing now, why they broke up, and what’s to become of their highly-coveted relationship on _The Valley_ was the topic of Soap Opera Digest every week. Eva had Lainey scheduled for interviews and prepped her on what to say, but neither of them ever confirmed whether Lainey would admit to breaking things off because she developed feelings for a woman, let alone her publicist.

“Knock, knock.” Usually the sight of the other woman made her grin, but today, Eva just sighed as Lainey popped her head into her office. The actress frowned. “I was going to ask how you’re doing, but I take it you’re not okay.”

“No,” Eva shook her head and placed her arms on her desk. “I’m really not okay right now, Lainey. I have reporters and journalists calling me non-stop.” Just as she said that the phone beside her began to ring and in response, she let out a distressed sigh. She dropped her head in her hands. “They won’t leave me alone!”

She closed her eyes and huffed but felt Lainey move around the room. Suddenly, Lainey was behind her and strong hands came to rub her shoulders. Considering the reason why she was so stressed, Eva really should have put an end to Lainey’s movements, but already she could feel the tension in her shoulders relax.

Lainey's lips came towards her ear when the actress whispered, “feel better?”

“Can your hands make the media go away?”

“‘Fraid not.” Lainey straightened and continued her massage, loosening the knots in Eva's neck. “Anything else I can do?”

“Stay out of the headlines,” Eva grumbled, half serious.

“But the headlines love me,” Lainey laughed.

“I just don't know what to tell them anymore.” Eva stood exasperated and faced the actress. “Do you know a photographer has a picture of us at the bar that night with Chad Strange. He was toying with the caption, ‘Lainey Allen solicits publicist for a threesome.’”

Lainey's eyes widened.

“Right,” Eva scoffed. “I had to threaten to sue him for defamation to get him off our back.”

Her problems didn't go away despite the brief shoulder rub. She went to turn from her desk when Lainey caught her arm.

“And honestly, Lainey, some critics feel like your off-screen breakup is affecting your on-screen relationship,” Eva admitted, turning her back so Lainey didn't have to see her wince. “That's a load of bullshit, but you have been struggling to do your scenes with Jason.”

Lainey sat on the edge of her desk, and with a hopeful look in her eyes, encouraged Eva to stand between her legs.

“He's not you,” Lainey provided easily. “And I struggle with them because over the last few weeks only one thing has been occupying my mind.”

Eva searched her eyes for an answer.

“It's you,” Lainey said. “We've been doing god knows what for weeks, and I think I've found my breaking point.”

“So what does that mean?”

“Tell the media the truth.”

“And what's that?”

“Tell them that Lainey Allen met an amazing woman and wants the chance to take her on the best date of her life.”

Eva reared her head back, eyes wide. “What?”

“Consider this me asking you out on a date?” Lainey asked hopefully.

“By telling the press?” Eva asked bemused.

“It was supposed to be a cute line.”

Eva laughed and shook her head, but the movement made Lainey frown. She stopped and pressed a hand to her chest. “You're serious?”

“I am so serious about you.” Lainey clutched her hand tightly. “I want to make memories with you and make you laugh and smile.”

Eva bit her lip as she stared down between them. She'd been waiting weeks to hear Lainey say those words and they were finally here. She looked up with a dimpled grin. “You want to date me, huh?”

Lainey smiled softly rubbed a thumb against her cheek. “You know I'm weak when you do that.”

“You make it easy to do.”

She tucked a strand of hair behind Eva’s ear. Lainey had done the gesture to her a million times over, and Eva had reciprocated in kind. This time there was a charge of electricity between them as their eyes locked meaningfully.

“When I do that,” Lainey began, “I don't want there ever to be confusion that I care so deeply for you, and I'd like that chance to show that.”

Lainey pressed her head against Eva's forehead and whispered in the space between them. “What do you say? Imagine the headlines: Lainey Allen Finds Happiness with Eva Morales.”

Eva closed her eyes and hummed. “Now that's one headline I can get behind.”


	7. Chapter 7

**Meadowlark Assisted Living 2017**   
  
It wasn't a good day.    
  
There hadn't been good days in a while. Sure, some were better than others where Eva would be able to sit in Lainey's room and read to her, but it had been months since Lainey looked at her - really looked at her. 

Eva was naive enough to still hope for a miracle cure - like if Lainey took some pills or had a surgery, all this would go away and they’d be back doing sunrise yoga, sleeping in their makeshift tent, or jumping on their trampoline. But there wasn’t some spell to make this better, and this wasn’t a dream she’d wake up from. Lainey wasn't up for having visitors today and halfway through Eva's visit, Lainey got confused and had a violent outbreak. The nurses had to come and calm her down.     
  
Eva stood outside the door, biting her lip to keep the tears at bay. The struggle inside the room continued on for a minute or two before the noise quieted. They must have sedated Lainey to get her to relax. Footsteps on the other side of the door approached, and Eva nearly rushed it in an effort to get back inside to Lainey.    
  
A nurse caught her before she could pass the threshold. She knew the rules. If Lainey couldn't handle a visit, Eva had to leave. But Eva didn't want to go. She was barely there for fifteen minutes and the other day, she was in and out before her car engine could cool. Her weight gave against the nurse's hold as she she stole a peek inside the room. There Lainey was, tucked in bed with her eyes closed serenely like she had been sleeping this entire time.    
  
“Hey,” the nurse said, plucking a napkin from her shirt pocket and offering it to Eva. “Did she hurt you?”   
  
Eva shook her head and used the napkin to blot her eyes. “Lainey would never hurt me.”    
  
The nurse bit her lip and looked to her colleague. Together, they helped Eva to her feet and led her away from the living quarters.    
  
The nurse rubbed Eva’s shoulder when they get closer to the lobby. “Will you be okay to drive home?”   
  
“I want to stay. Be here when she wakes up.”   
  
“You know you can't.” Before Eva could argue, the nurse explained, “Lainey’s going to wake up in a similar mood. It’s best if you don’t overwhelm her too much.”   
  
“But I want to be here,” Eva demanded. “I love her. I don’t care if she remembers me or not. I just want to be here when she wakes up.”    
  
“Eva,” the nurse said softly.    
  
She sniffed and turned away as if hiding her tears could stop the nurse from admitting what she knew she was going to say. Her head shook already fighting off her words.    
  
“Eva, Lainey is only going to get worse from here on out.”    
  
“No,” she croaked, wiping her nose with the napkin. “It’s just a bad day. She’s just having a bad day.”   
  
The nurse nodded apologetically. “Yes. But she’ll have more days like this. They’ll be more frequent than the good days and soon, that’s all she’ll know.”   
  
Eva’s lip quivered. Tears streamed down her face, and she tried to calm her shaking knees from the news. She knew this day would come. She’d been waiting for it since Lainey’s confirmed diagnosis. No matter how many times she played the scenario out in her head, not even her imagination could fathom how much pain her heart was in. She was losing Lainey right before her very eyes, and no amount of hoping and praying would make it go away.    
  
“Can I see her please?” Eva nearly begged. “I won’t wake her. I just - I just want her to know I’ll be back tomorrow.”   
  
The nurse looked down the hallway, biting her lip. With a reluctant nod, she led the way back to Lainey’s room. Signalling that she only had a few minutes, the nurse let her in and shut the door to give them some privacy.

Lainey was still sleeping - the medication would knock her out all day if it had to. Eva didn’t understand how they had gone from simple chatter to this. Then again, she didn’t quite understand how Lainey of all people was meant to suffer this disease. She’d take it, in a heartbeat. Eva would be the one to have it if it meant Lainey didn’t.    
  
Walking quietly in the room, she kneeled beside the bed. She tucked a strand of hair behind Lainey’s ear and cautiously placed a kiss on her lips.   
  
“I’m here, Lainey,” Eva promised. “I’m here every step of the way.”

Lainey grumbled in her medicine-induced state. Her eyes flickered open the tiniest crack, and Eva could see the foggy confusion nestled there. Eva knew if Lainey fully woke, they both would be in trouble, so biting her lip, she stood to quickly leave.

“Angel,” Lainey muttered before her eyes shut once more.

Eva tilted her head and wiped at her face. She dropped back to her knees and rubbed her thumb on the edge of Lainey’s jaw with a sad smile. “No, sweetheart. That’s you.”

* * *

**The Beach House 2016**   
  
"I can't believe you got a trampoline."   
  
"It was a requirement," Eva said as she tugged Lainey towards the trampoline in their backyard. "Come on!"    
  
She climbed onto the mat and made her way to the center with little bounces. Holding her hands out, she begged Lainey to join her. "Come on, I got this specifically for you."    
  
"I don't know how to use one!" Lainey shrugged her hands out.    
  
"You just jump!" Eva demonstrated by jumping in the middle, gaining a few feet of air. Slowing her hops, she settled and inched her way to the side, holding her hands out for Lainey again. "Please, baby."    
  
"Ugh," Lainey groaned. "You're lucky you're cute."    
  
Eva giggled as Lainey struggled to climb up onto the trampoline. When they were both on, Eva led Lainey to the middle and began to hop slightly.    
  
"Now just jump!" Eva leaped into the air and began jumping. Lainey, however, really didn't know how to use a trampoline. Every time she tried to jump, she'd be leaping off when Eva was landing, and she wouldn't get more than a few inches off the ground. Eva burst out laughing and held both of Lainey's hands. "What are you doing?"    
  
"Jumping," Lainey provided. She gave a little hop but the bouncing mat was moving against her. She fumbled and nearly fell onto Eva.    
  
"Oh, you are so cute."    
  
Lainey flashed unamused fiery eyes. Eva recognized that look. There was mischief laced with it. Before Eva could retreat, Lainey's arms were around her, tickling her sides.    
  
Eva gasped for air in laughter as they both fell over onto the trampoline mat.  "Now this is how you should use a trampoline," Lainey determined.    
  
"I don't know," Eva shrugged coyly. "That's not what it said on the instruction manual." 

Lainey laughed. “Since when do we follow the rules?”

They laid on their back on the trampoline, the tree above them providing enough shade from the sun as Eva curled under Lainey's arm. The wind whistled softly around them, and Eva shut her eyes getting lost in the moment.

“Remember when you asked me what I would be doing if I wasn’t Lainey Allen?”

“Mmhmm.”

Lainey pressed a kiss to Eva’s head. “This. This, being here with you, it’s my heaven. I could do this every day. I wish I could do this every day for as long as I am me. All I ever want is to be with you. I just want to hold you in my arms while I can still, and even still it’s never going to feel like it was enough. There’s just never enough time.”

“We still have now, and you will always have me,” Eva promised. 

“I never want this to end.” Lainey’s eyes began to water.

Eva pushed up on her elbow and hovered over Lainey and wiped stray tears from her eyes. “What we have, it’s never going to.”

“Come here.” Lainey pulled Eva down into her arms and nuzzled into her. 

Eva pulled the other woman’s arm closer around her. They simply laid there in the afternoon sun. Eva sighed contently feeling Lainey’s chest rise and fall with every breath. Lainey’s fingers were massaging her scalp and lulling her into a sleep. Eva hummed and cuddled closer, wrapping her arm around Lainey’s waist and pulling her in like she was her own personal teddy bear. 

“I love you,” she whispered. “You know that, right?” 

Lainey laughed softly against her head. “Oh sweetheart, that’s the only thing I’m certain of.”

Eva nodded and continued, “I’m going to be there for you. Every step of the way.”

“I’m not going anywhere,” Lainey promised. “Not yet at least.”

* * *

**Eva’s Home 2006**

Eva had gone on her fair share of dates before. Some had gone over the top with the best restaurants and the fanciest cars. Some were more simple with a traditional dinner and a movie. Her first date with Lainey, however, topped all of them. Lainey had offered to make them dinner out of Eva’s home. She never realized the actress could cook. Lainey didn’t attempt to dazzle her with gourmet culinary skills or show off a fancy wardrobe. She was herself, and that was all Eva wanted. 

After dinner they had retreated to her living room where they snuggled on the couch in front of the fireplace. The warm glow of the fire lit up the room as the women sat with tangled legs around each other. Eva fingered the wine glass in her hand and settled it down beside the two empty bottles on the coffee table. 

She stared at Lainey with hooded eyes and a content smile on her face. Poking her side with her foot, she got the actress’s attention. “Tell me something I don’t know about you.”

Lainey laughed and sipped her wine. “What don’t you know? Isn’t it your job to know all my dirty secrets in case the press does?”

Eva poked her again. “Just something nobody knows. Something silly.”

“Something silly,” Lainey mused, leaning over Eva to put her own glass down. “I used to take gymnastics when I was little.”

“Oh?” Eva looked impressed. “Did you sweep in and claim all the trophies?”

Lainey snorted. “I quit after six months.”

“No!” Eva gasped amused. “Lainey Allen gives up on nothing.”

“Lainey Allen doesn’t know how to use a trampoline.”

Eva made a face. “What do you mean? It’s a trampoline. You jump.”

“Easier said than done.”

Eva cackled. “Okay, I’m going to have to see this.”

“Uh-uh,” Lainey shook her head. “Never in a million years.”

“Oh, I’ll see it one day,” Eva promised with a knowing grin. “That’s absolutely hysterical. Emmy-winner Lainey Allen has been commended for her numerous roles on daytime television, but she doesn’t understand the concept of a trampoline.”

Eva’s laughter continued to permeate the air, but Lainey was just staring at her with a soft smile and wide twinkling eyes. Her laughter died down, and Eva wondered if it was the reflection of the flame making Lainey’s eyes do that.

“I didn’t mean to make fun of you,” Eva said quickly when she realized Lainey hadn’t said a word. “Lots of people can’t--”

“You are so beautiful.” Lainey cut her off and moved in closer, stealing her words and her breath with a kiss. 

Eva gasped at the surprise, but all too quickly did she give into Lainey’s soft lips against her own.

When they pulled away, Eva’s eyes were still closed and her lips were still parted. “I take it you’re not mad?”

“I’d have to be sick in the head to get mad at you.”

“Then why’d you stop kissing me?” 

Before Eva could grin smugly, Lainey’s lips were on her again. She moved from under their tangled legs until Lainey was pressed completely against her. Ever since the first time Eva saw Lainey at that networking gala all those months ago, she always wondered what it would feel like to kiss Lainey Allen. 

Not even her wildest imaginations could come up with the way her heart raced and her mind exploded. Lainey’s kiss wasn’t just laced with passion and lust; there was something more in it, as Lainey was trying to use her kiss to say what her words couldn’t. 

Suddenly Lainey pulled back.

She was completely off Eva and on her feet, a hand pushing her hair up. “I have to go.”

“Lainey.” Eva stood up and grabbed her arm. “What happened? Did you not want this?”

The actress turned and shook her head. “That’s not what I mean.”

“Then what it is it, Lainey?” A feeling of dread settled deep in Eva’s gut. If all their months of flirting was going to end because Lainey got cold feet, she’d--

“I just don’t want to rush things with you.” Lainey shook her head again when Eva’s face dropped. “That’s not what I mean either. I mean that when I’m with you, I feel things for you that I’ve never felt before. I just want to make sure I savor this moment because it’s the best feeling. I just want to remember that.”

“So why do you have to go?” Eva squeezed her hand and tried to lead her back to the couch. 

“Because I want to do things right with you.”

Eva grinned a dimpled smile. “The way things were going on that couch, I’d say you were doing things right.”

Lainey smirked and flicked Eva’s nose playfully. Her thumb moved to caress over Eva’s dimples. 

“I think I’m falling in love with you, Eva.”

Her lips parted and her eyes widened. 

Lainey pressed a hand to her forehead in embarrassment. “There I’ve gone and ruined it.”

“No.” Eva caught her hand before she could walk away again. “No, you haven’t ruined anything. Lainey, this night, and every moment I get to spend with you, it’s the best time of my life.”

It was Lainey’s turn to smile goofily. Quirking her eyebrow, Eva reached up and tucked a strand of hair behind Lainey’s ear. “Remember what that means?”

“Mmhmm,” Lainey nodded, her eyes drifting shut. “But if we’re both serious, I really, really think I should go.”

Eva nodded understandingly and walked Lainey to the front door. “You’ll be back though?”

She grinned. “How’s sunrise yoga tomorrow sound for you?”

Eva laughed but nodded. “You and the beach? Sounds like heaven...minus the yoga part. I still can’t do any of those balance poses.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll catch you if you fall.” Lainey leaned in, meeting Eva halfway as they kissed softly. Eva hummed against her lips. For the first time, she couldn’t wait to wake up early tomorrow.

* * *

**The Beach House 2025**

Early mornings were always revered in the Morales-Allen household. The warm pink of the sky would crack just behind the ocean horizon, and the song of the birds singing melodiously would fill the otherwise quiet morning with a sense of serenity. It was a time where there was no one else in the world. 

Eva loved them. 

She woke up before her alarm and stretched. The world was still dark outside, but she loved mornings like today. Her coffee machine brewed as she slipped on a t-shirt and shorts. Drinking a cup at home, she poured another cup into a travel mug and made her way to the front door. She eyed her sandals and then her running shoes, briefly contemplating which ones to wear. 

“I love you, Lainey, but you’re still not getting me to run.” She slid into her sandals and made her way out the door. 

The air was crisp, and in the distance, seagulls were cawing as they circled the shore. Sipping her coffee, she made her way down the path and to the beach where she breathed in the salty scent of the ocean air. She kicked off her sandals and carried them closer to the water. Stopping just a few feet from where the tide came in, Eva stuck her mug and her sandals into the sand and took a deep breath. 

The sun would be rising soon. She exhaled and dropped down into sun salutation, moving effortlessly from upward dog to downward dog. Her legs were strong and firm as they held her upright during the warrior poses. She’d never gotten the hang of crow, but as she entered the balance series, her tree pose was perfection. 

She brought her hands to prayer and shut her eyes. Lainey would be proud of her. She’d been doing sunrise yoga nearly every day for over a year, and she could feel herself get stronger and become more connected to the earth. Most important, she felt more connected to Lainey. 

The sun cracked over the horizon just as Eva moved into the dancer pose. The rays of light hit her face as she took in a deep exhale. Her foot started to wobble, but without putting her foot down, she felt steadied instantaneously when a light breeze caught her and held her upright. 

Eva grinned a dimpled smile. “Thanks, Lainey.”


End file.
